This blog is an employment resource for professionals seeking jobs in the emerging field of agricultural and food law. It emphasizes non-traditional employment opportunities instead of legal practice opportunities.
The LL.M. Program in Agricultural & Food Law at the University of Arkansas School of Law is pleased to offer this service. These posts are for informational purposes only; we do not make any representations regarding the employment offered.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

The Washington, DC office of Hogan Lovells US LLP seeks a junior-mid level associate with a minimum of two years of experience to join our highly regarded FDA/Food and Agriculture practice. Candidates must have regulatory experience and the desire to concentrate their practice in food law (specific food law experience is a plus). Undergraduate or graduate degree in science (e.g., chemistry or biology) is essential. Excellent academic credentials, a commitment to excellence and a desire to work as part of a team is required. For information on Hogan Lovells’ FDA/Food practice, please visit http://www.hoganlovells.com/fda/. To apply please complete the on-line application and be prepared to attach a resume, law school transcript and cover letter addressed to: Suzanne Hudgens, Associate Recruitment Coordinator, Hogan Lovells US LLP, 555 13th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20004 or at JoinHoganLovellsDC@hoganlovells.com. Hogan Lovells US LLP is an equal opportunity employer.

Monday, June 24, 2013

This position is assigned to the FSA DAFP PSD, Office of the Director, located in Washington, DC.

The selectee:Serves as the peanut marketing assistance and loan deficiency payment program lead.Develops and recommends agency-wide operating policies and procedures for the most efficient and effective accomplishment of program objectives.Develops highlights of the effect of new legislation and policies on assigned programs, recommends operational changes and prepares Federal Register documents relating to program activities.Communicates recommended policy requests for software designs and data models to the Automation Branch Chief using the most effective methods and techniques.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by Friday, July 12, 2013.

You may start at the GS-13 level if you have the following qualifications:One year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. Experience in an agricultural field that involves work in directing, developing, reviewing administering, and coordinating automated programs which demonstrates a comprehensive knowledge of the laws and regulations governing agricultural program policies and procedures, understanding of farming practices and customs in the United States, and of the economic needs of farm communities at the State or county level; knowledge of current State and Federal agricultural trends; and the ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with representatives of public and private organizations, farmers' associations, and others, and to interpret regulations, programs, and policies affecting them. At this level, the incumbent is responsible for program planning, procedures, handbooks, instructions, and forms pertaining t the administration of the loan and loan deficiency programs. Assignments require broader program knowledge, at the national, state, and local level.

Developing new skills can be an important part of the job search. LL.M. Alumna Jennifer Fiser, Farm Program Specialist at USDA, recently alerted to us a Coursera class on Maps and the Geospacial Revolution that sounds useful for anyone thinking of going into local/state/federal government or any other organization where data analysis could be part of their job. Jennifer reports that FSA handles a lot of spatial data and always needs people beyond the GIS specialists to understand it. That is certainly the case with many other agencies as well. We pass along the link to anyone who might be interested, especially those who are job hunting.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

The National Appeals Division is an independent office within the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that reports directly to the Secretary of Agriculture.

The mission of the National Appeals Division is to conduct impartial administrative appeals hearings and reviews of adverse program decisions made by officers, employees or committees of designated agencies of USDA.

The Hearing Officer positions are located in field offices throughout the continental United States. Hearing Officers are responsible for holding hearings and issuing determinations on appeals before the National Appeals Division.

The work requires the ability to review and evaluate case records, conduct hearings in an orderly, timely, and impartial manner, determine credibility of witnesses, sift and evaluate evidence, analyze complex issues, apply agency rules and regulations and court decisions, prepare clear and concise statements of fact, and exercise sound judgment in arriving at decisions.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

The Network for Public Health Law Seeks a Director to Lead National Efforts

The Network for Public Health Law has launched a nationwide search for a Director of its National Coordinating Center (NCC), based at William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, MN. This leadership position will help steer the course of public health law and ensure the Network’s success as a catalyst for a healthier nation.

The Network was created in 2010 to improve America’s health by helping those who grapple with the legal complexities of emergency preparedness, food safety, environmental health, health care reform, data privacy and the many other pressing challenges of modern public health. The Network strives to build the field of public health law, strengthen the role of law in public health practice, and foster connections among practitioners, attorneys and others committed to improving health.

The Network is led by the Director of the National Coordinating Center, who serves as a “leader of leaders” in designing and achieving a compelling vision for the Network’s future. The Director leads operations of the Network and the NCC, serves as the Network’s spokesperson and liaison with national partners, coordinates the work of five Regional Centers across the U.S., and ensures consistent and effective responses to key public health law issues.

The full position description and application process can be viewed on the Network’s website.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Background: The California Climate and Agriculture Network (CalCAN) is a collaboration of California’s leading sustainable agriculture organizations and allies advocating for policy solutions at the nexus of climate change and agriculture. We cultivate sustainable agriculture movement leadership to face the challenges of climate change and to serve as the sustainable agriculture voice on climate change policy in California.

We advocate for policies that protect farmland, support on-farm renewable energy and energy efficiency and increase resources for California farmers and ranchers to implement innovative on-farm conservation practices that mitigate and adapt to climate change while providing other environmental and health co- benefits.

• Develop and implement policy campaigns on sustainable agriculture and climate change issues, especially related to supporting on-farm renewable energy production and energy efficiency measures for small and mid-scale producers and state investment in agricultural solutions to climate change mitigation and adaptation• Advocate before the state legislature, state agencies and departments, particularly the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Department of Conservation, California Public Utilities Commission and California Energy Commission• Assist with federal farm bill coordination as a partner in the California Caucus of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.• Draft documents, including legislative language, policy papers, testimony, advocacy materials, and rulemaking comments relating to programs and policies that address climate change and agriculture issues• Assist as needed with grant writing• Participate in executive committee meetings and coalition strategy meetings• Assist with grassroots and grasstops outreach• Write policy blogs and contributions to CalCAN’s monthly newsletter• Represent CalCAN at partner meetings, events, and to the media

Qualifications: Eligible applicants must possess the following skills and experience:• Knowledge of and passion for sustainable agriculture• Minimum of one year advocacy experience, with demonstrated facility with campaign strategy and tactics development and implementation• Basic knowledge and familiarity with the state policy-making process• Strong written and verbal communications and public speaking skills• Self-directed and collaborative work style• Willingness to work around a demanding legislative schedule and administrative deadlines• Willingness to travel to Sacramento one to three times per week and parts of the state several times a year

The following skills and experience are also sought:• Experience advocating in support of sustainable agriculture• Experience with print, radio, and online media• Experience with grassroots coalitions

Terms: This is a full time salaried position with health benefits. The position will be located in either Sacramento or the Bay Area (with regular Sacramento travel expected). The optimal start date is August 2013.

Compensation: Salary is competitive with small Bay Area non-profit organizations and will be decided based in part on the experience of the successful candidate. Health benefits are provided.

To Apply: Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, resume and the names and contact information for three references to Jeanne Merrill, CalCAN Policy Director (jmerrill@calclimateag.org). Please no phone calls. Position will be open until filled, and applications will be accepted until July 15, 2013.

* Specify location(s) - city & state - as the FIRST ITEM in the Subject Line description.

ChangeLab Solutions focuses on improving the public’s health by drawing on the expertise of aninter-disciplinary team of lawyers, urban planners, policy analysts, and public health professionals.ChangeLab Solutions works with community-based organizations, local public health and planningdepartments, schools, elected officials, government attorneys, and private counsel to creategroundbreaking policy solutions to critical public health challenges. ChangeLab Solutions staffprovide comprehensive training, technical assistance, and legal and policy tools that reflect the mostcreative and innovative thinking on a given public health issue.ChangeLab Solutions is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization that educates and informs the publicthrough objective, non-partisan analysis, study, and/or research on improving public health.

ChangeLab Solutions Program Areas

Planning/Policy Fellows will work in one or more of the following programs:The Tobacco Control program provides legal and policy technical assistance throughout California.The Tobacco Control program has served as a model for similar programs around the country.The Healthy Eating and Active Living programs provide legal and policy technical assistance acrossthe country. The programs aim to empower advocates and policy leaders with legally soundguidance and resources to make the places where we live, learn, work, and play healthier foreveryone.

The Healthy Housing program works to advance policies to ensure the availability of safe andhealthy housing and, in turn, improve health outcomes for families and communities nationwide.Please visit our website at www.changelabsolutions.org for complete information on ChangeLabSolutions’ current activities and staff.

Duties & Responsibilities:

This one-year planning/policy fellowship will support our team to explore planning and policysolutions to increase access to healthy foods and physical activity through improvements to thebuilt environment. Our team develops tools for training advocates about the relationship betweenthe built environment and public health and provides technical assistance for creating andimplementing land use policies that support healthier communities.

Under direction of staff attorneys, policy analysts, and urban planners Planning/Policy Fellows willwork on one or more of the following tasks:

• Conduct research and analysis to strengthen state and local policies to create healthy,sustainable communities.• Research and write well articulated memos about a variety of cutting-edge land use,economic development, food systems, and transportation policy strategies.• Collect and synthesize a variety of primary and secondary research sources, includinginterviews, reports, municipal codes, general plans and zoning codes and otherplanning/policy documents, and academic literature.• Assist staff in the development of internal systems to enhance delivery of suchservices to public health advocates.• Other duties as required.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in city and regional planning, public policy, or other related field.

Desired Qualifications

• Familiarity with land use planning, transportation planning, healthy housing and relatedpolicies, including economic development, infill and transit-oriented development, climatechange, food systems, and active transportation.• Well-organized and detail-oriented.• Excellent research, analytic, and writing skills.• Able to translate complex policies into writing accessible to a layperson audience.• Capable of working quickly on tight deadlines and multiple projects.

Compensation:

This is a full time one-year position. The salary for this position is $41,600 per year. For one yearappointments, ChangeLab Solutions offers a generous benefits package including PTO, medical, dental, vision, and long term disability insurance, life insurance, tax shelter annuity and a flexiblebenefit plan.

How to apply:

To apply for the 2013 Planning/Policy Fellow position please email all required information tojobs@changelabsolutions.org. Please include in the subject line: “2013 Planning/Policy Fellow.”

The following are required to be considered for the 2013 Planning/Policy Fellow. Incompleteapplications will not be considered.• Resume and Cover letter• Writing samples - Please provide, at most, two (2) writing samples in a relevant substantivearea.• References – Please provide contact information (name, organization, email, and phonenumber) for three (3) references.

Friday, June 14, 2013

The Policy Director is a full-time position with the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA). The position is based in CFSA’s Pittsboro, NC office and leads the organization’s efforts to change state and federal policy to be more favorable for local food, organic farming, and resilient regional food systems.

ABOUT CFSA: Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA) is a member based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that helps people grow and eat local, organic food by advocating for fair farm and food policies, building the systems that organic family farms need to thrive, and educating communities about local, organic farming. We support farming and food that is good for consumers, good for farmers and farm workers, and good for the land.

JOB SUMMARY:The Policy Director works in concert with the Executive Director, other CFSA staff, and partner organizations to influence legislative bodies, administrative agencies, and land-grant universities on issues of importance to local and organic food and farming across the Carolinas. Specific responsibilities include facilitating the work of state-based agriculture advocacy coalitions in which CFSA participates, developing state-level advocacy goals and specific policy solutions to achieve those goals, educating state and federal policy-makers on issues of importance to the local and organic food and farming community, and organizing and overseeing grassroots campaigns and outreach in support of CFSA’s policy goals.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Committee for Green Foothills (CGF) is a vocal and well-respected conservation organization that has played a vital role in protecting much of the open space and natural beauty of the San Mateo and Santa Clara counties through advocacy, education, and grassroots action. We are rooted in the communities in which we work, and use a highly local, neighborly approach to effect change. We believe our impressive 50-year track record of success has benefited the quality of life of everyone who lives in the Bay Area, as well as that of generations to come. The recent opening of the Devil's Slide Tunnel Bypass, which was the successful resolution of an issue CGF pursued for more than 4 decades, illustrates CGF's effectiveness and determination to protect important resources as well as working with all parties for creative solutions.

Advocacy is the mainstay of CGF’s work. We are a crucial and consistent voice for strong General Plan policies, zoning regulations, and controls over development to ensure protection of open spaces and sensitive habitats. Advocacy mobilizes the public, helps our leaders make educated and conscientious decisions, and mitigates or halts destructive development proposals. The Bay Area’s land trusts and open space agencies directly benefit from CGF’s work.

CGF is a member-based organization that has a robust yearly calendar of programs including farm and watershed tours, lectures and presentations on special topics of interest to our members, and an annual fundraising and membership event, "Nature’s Inspiration."

While advocacy is the major focus of our work, organizational leadership, fundraising, and effective collaboration to support advocacy are the primary areas of focus for this position. The next several years will provide the incoming Executive Director with a rewarding leadership opportunity in a relatively small, but highly credible organization that works with a variety of community and environmental organizations in the Bay Area. Starting with a deep support for our mission, and together with our committed membership base, talented staff, dedicated board, and supportive community leaders, the next Executive Director will work in partnership with the Board and staff to:

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Vermont Law School has a distinguished record of preparing students to serve their clients and the public interest. As the nation's leading environmental law and policy program (US News & World Report), we seek to fill the following position:

Transactional Clinical Staff Attorney

This newly created position will work as a lawyer and teacher spearheading the Center for Agriculture and Food Systems (CAFS) work with students, the CAFS LLM Fellow, and other faculty to develop legal tools and resources to support sustainable food systems. Responsibilities include researching and writing novel legal tools; translating those tools for broad use (through social media, web resources, and in-person trainings); outreach to local, regional and national organizations to create strategic partnerships to amplify our progressive work; and developing funding sources, including grant writing, in collaboration with the Director and Associate Director of CAFS and other staff. Teaching responsibilities include supervising students on projects & collaborating/assisting the other CAFS faculty in teaching and evaluation. Requires min 2-3 yrs relevant legal practice exp, demonstrated commitment to sustainable food & agriculture, excellent analytical, research & writing skills, and interest in mentoring students. This is a one year position, with additional years dependent upon future funding.

For more information on these and other positions, please visit our website at www.vermontlaw.edu under Employment Opportunities.

Send a resume and cover letter with salary requirements to Human Resources, Vermont Law School, P.O. Box 96, South Royalton, VT 05068 or to jobs@vermontlaw.edu.
Vermont Law School is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity in our workforce.

LL.M. Employment

LL.M. Program in Agricultural & Food Lawis the first and only advanced legal degree program in the U.S. focusing on food and agriculture. With a curriculum that covers the full range of agricultural and food law issues, our program addresses legal issues "from farm to fork."

Visit our website for information about this unique program and the opportunities it offers.